Here it is! After over a year of building our house and then a few months worth of moving in (thanks to having a toddler and a newborn to juggle) I finally have the studio up to a certain standard!

While there's a few more tweaks I'd like to make, I am very pleased with how it has turned out! I kept it natural, bright, and comfortable. There's multiple places to shoot within it. A floor backdrop, a posing bag with backdrop stand for the little newborns, a comfy, classic bed for a more intimate approach to family pictures and a vintage couch for sweet families or even just a place to relax while you let me do all the work!

All of my props have their home and are within easy reach. It really gives you a sense of what my style is. This is really going to help each session go smoothly and lets me focus on perfecting the work.

And as always, if some in your family get a little restless and need to watch some tv, play with toys, or stretch their legs they are welcome to head down the stairs to my living room. Fresh water, snacks, and place to put your feet up. What more could you ask for?

I love just about everything about my business. Of course I love shooting. Getting to have families visit my home and watch them interact with each other is a lot of fun. I love getting them to let lose and capture them at their personal level. Seeing the connection within families is mesmerizing and capturing that connection, especially with families in the midst of growth and change is a big force behind what drives me.

But there's so much more to my business than that. Education, marketing, people skills, financing, editing...oh my gosh the editing....., and another thing I really enjoy which is designing! I love creating new little outfits for my tiniest models to wear. Creating backdrops and props. All of it! I attempt to challenge myself regularly with new designs. I never knitted before I started making bonnets for little newborns. Now I am breaking out into new stitches, new patterns, and someday soon I'll probably do more sewing.

Handsome Cash is wearing a bonnet I knitted for him.

I love flexing my creative muscles and I get inspiration from all over the place. A lot of times it's other creative people, photographers or even non-photographers! I once created a honeycomb style backdrop after watching a cooking show. Why not?

Quinn is wearing a headband designed by me and the flowers on the backdrop were also created by me. Being able to complete a setup from start to finish is very gratifying!

It's a lot of work. Especially when juggling the other demands of the business and two little ones of my own. Sometimes the best time to work is after they've gone to bed...even if maybe I should be in bed myself.

This was taken by my dedicated husband as we worked to finish a floor backdrop at 1am.

I tell you this so you understand what kind of experience you are getting when you come to my studio. I craft all these things because I care about every detail and I want to see what I have imagined for your and your family come to fruition. Many times it ends up surprising me with the results, but it's always unique!

When my good friend Maeghan Olsen of 1 Day Ranch contacted me with an idea for a slightly....different....kind of birthday photoshoot I knew I had to jump on board! It may be different from my typical newborn client or even a 1 year cake smash, but it is all Maeghan!

So we've titled this shoot #Thisis30

Enjoy....

And then of course we took the fun outside....

So if you're interested in having a similar shoot...whether you're 3 or 30.....contact me!

Who here feels totally confused by all the conflicting information out there regarding raising our little ones? *waves hand in the air like a crazy person*

I think we can all feel as frustrated as this 1 day old at times

Wether or not to feed organic? How long to breastfeed? If you don't breastfeed, what formula is best? TV exposure? Introducing allergens? And of course, the one I think is probably googled more than any other.......establishing a sleeping schedule? It can certainly get confusing and I see plenty of new moms, just like myself, get overwhelmed and quickly feel inadequate.

How stupid!!! I mean really, are you alive and kicking? Did your parents have google? Do you know what they did have? THEIR parents. That's right. Before internet searches and the bump.com, there was *ask mom*. While every mom raises their child differently, I have realized that most grandmas have the same response when their daughters and sons ask for advice.

Momma knows best? Well, why not?

The best advice that most parents receive from any other loved ones, not just grandmas, is to do what works for YOU. Only YOU know your baby, your life, your schedule, your emotions, and your perspective. It's stupid for us to let social media, other moms, the news, or anyone tell us that our instincts as parents is wrong. Is your baby breathing, growing, and thriving? Then you are doing a GREAT JOB!!! If you worry that something isn't right, then maybe it isn't. Change it and do what feels right to you, within reason (I don't think you should let your baby play with sharp knives and loaded gun because that feels right to you....there is some common sense that needs to be at play here).

Your baby loves you! You are the most person in the world to them. Not the Babbling Betty online who seems to have all the "right" answers.

I wanted to share a photo session with you that I had recently. Introducing.....my God-Daughter! This sweet pumpkin came into my best friend's life recently....all almost 10 lbs of her......and I got the pleasure of visiting and taking up their afternoon taking photos of her!

I am loving every opportunity I get to photograph newborns. There is something very special about creating a relaxing, womb like atmosphere for these very special little humans. They mean everything to their loved ones!

Isn't it wonderful to have so much love in such a small package? And her big sister sure does enjoy her new responsibilities! She is energy, enthusiasm, and joy in a mighty little package!

Thank you Brandon and Whitney for sharing your precious girls with me! You are blessed!